Former Limerick defender Tom Condon has backed Clare’s “ballsy” decision to take the Munster final to the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
After Pairc Ui Chaoimh and FBD Semple Stadium were proposed as potential venues for the June 11 showdown, the Munster Council fixed the game for Limerick’s home ground after Clare agreed to it.
Clare inflicted Limerick’s first defeat in Championship hurling in almost four years in the round robin phase on April 29 last at the Ennis Road venue, which is a far more convenient destination for their supporters than Cork or Thurles.
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And Condon doesn’t believe that it will backfire on them.
“No, and fair play to Clare county board as well for putting it forward, it was a ballsy decision!” he smiled.
“The way I see it, the Gaelic Grounds is nearly a home match for Clare as well, like.
“Clare, I know they hadn’t won against Limerick in Championship in so many years but they have that monkey off the back now and Clare love playing in the Gaelic Grounds. They have always played well in the Gaelic Grounds.
“And just for fans as well, it was the right decision. There is no massive travelling or no massive traffic jams and stuff like that and there will be some buzz around the Ennis Road come Sunday week.
“It was the right decision and fair play to Clare, I don’t think it will have a massive bearing on the outcome of the game.
“It's a field the same as any other one and I think it will make for a great occasion.”
He added: “What a Munster final for Clare to win if they can beat Limerick in their own backyard. It would be one for the ages.
“You can argue about it until the cows come home. I suppose Clare fans will be a bit put out that it's on in Limerick but, at the end of the day, what a way for Clare to win it if they're going to win it.”
Whether two-time Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch starts as Limerick bid for a fifth provincial title on the spin remains to be seen.
After missing most of last year’s Championship with hamstring and ankle injuries, Lynch has been out of form of late and didn’t start last Sunday’s win over Cork, albeit that decision is believe to have been at least partly influenced by an injury.
Condon played alongside Lynch up to his retirement after the 2020 season and is married to his cousin, former Limerick camogie player Sarah Carey.
“The one thing about him is that you don’t get much change off Cian or anyone in the camp; they keep things to themselves which is a good sign of a squad so you don’t know until match day as to what is going to happen.
“The way I see it, Cian suffered a horrific injury last year; it had the potential to be a career-ending injury in my book and he was lucky enough, he did the recovery and did come back but he still picked up these injuries that have curtailed him and you can’t beat match intensity and match practice no matter how hard you train when you are not playing.
“He has not got that opportunity to get himself back up to the level of intensity that he has had.
“He is just trying to find form a small bit but I think coming on the last day, he got on some vital ball and he retained possession for us up in the half-forward line which was critical for us at that stage.”
Condon, however, says he would err on the side of springing Lynch from the bench once again on Sunday week.
"It’s a dilemma now for John Kiely, what does he do because, in fairness, Cathal O’Neill has been very good in the couple of games he’s been on.
“It's a headache for John Kiely. Do you stick with your tried and tested or do you go for it and give the youth a chance?
“He stuck with Gearoid the last day and in fairness Gearoid came up trumps. He stuck at it, another fella who was kind of struggling to find his form and to get back to the heights of where he was.
“Personally, maybe, I'd probably start Cathal and bring Cian on then, to come in and finish the job and get on the vital balls and things like that, see how things go.
“Like, it's an opportunity for John now because you still have the knowledge that you're in the All-Ireland series so I'd nearly chance leaving Cathal in there and see how he goes.”
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